Bloodlusts and Battlefields
by TheologyDiscography
Summary: Harry didn't grow up with the Dursleys like everyone thought, but with a gang of streetkids in Tulsa, Ok. When things start to get rough, he calls in his friends to help him. Who knew children too young to be accepted to Hogwarts could be so much help?


'Bloodlusts and Battlefields' is a song Lyr and I wrote to the tune of 'My Favorite Things', and is set when Train is at battle school. It's very cheerfully bloodthirsty. It's also something I can easily see this version of Harry singing before a battle. And lastly, it's what inspired this fic in the first place.

**_H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H_**

'Harry sat, feet swinging, on the head table, singing to himself. It was after lunch, and he was supposed to be in class, but he had more important things on his mind at the moment. Ron and Hermione walked in the door, and stopped in shock as they heard his song.

"_Bloodlust and battlefields, carnage and gore,_

_Can't think of anything that I'd like more,_

_Blood, shining wetly, drips down to the floor,_

_Down bodies fall, raise my count on the board_." He continued singing, heedless to their approach, until Ron cleared his throat uncomfortably, making him jump.

"That's a –rather morbid song, Harry," Hermione said uncomfortably. Harry grinned at her.

"It's a battle song. What do you expect?"

"It's awful cheerful for a battle song, mate," Ron said somberly. Harry started to reply, then cut himself off, jumping from the table to throw himself into the arms of the two people walking down the aisle between the tables. Ron and Hermione stared in shock; Harry had never been a tactile person, flinching away from the most casual of touch, and yet he was all over these people.

"Train! Ara! You's here!" The girl laughed.

"Wh'e else wes be when you's callin', Viper?" Dumbledore, who had just entered the room, froze at the sight of the newcomers. And they were a sight. The girl was smallish in stature, with long brown hair and luminous blue eyes, while the boy had mismatched eyes and hair that was half white and half black, with feline ears and a tail. Train crossed his arms, suddenly balancing perfectly on the corner of a tilted chair, waiting for Harry and Ara to break their embrace and get on with things. Finally, they separated.

"Is it time, Viper?" he said soberly. Harry nodded.

"It is time, Dreamer." Train nodded to Ara, who held her hands up against the wall for a moment, making it shimmer, then nodded back. "I left my weapons in the treasure trove." Train nodded again, and was gone with a grimace. Harry yawned widely.

"You's tired?" Ara asked in concern. Harry never slept more than a couple of hours a night anyway. He shrugged.

"Couldn't sleep last night. Yous knows how it is." She nodded.

"Nothin' new tho', ri'?"

"Nothin' new. They's be snakes fightin' wi' us this time." Ara shuddered slightly.

"Ain't thats a odd thought."

"Moonshine's snake," he pointed out mischievously. Ara shook her head and gave him a look, and he stopped.

"Harry. Who is this?" Dumbledore asked tensely. Harry grinned at him.

"This is the main person who raised me after my aunt and uncle threw me out at seven. The other left to take care of some things, but he'll be back soon. I'd appreciate it if we could get the order together now, it'd save having to explain everything twice." Dumbledore frowned, then nodded slightly, deciding to let his protégé have a little bit of free reign for the moment, since there wasn't really anything he could do about it anyway. As he walked back out the door to start them gathering, Ron and Hermione grabbed Harry's arms.

"Harry, who is this? What's going on?" Hermione asked almost frantically. Ara looked at him, startled.

"Viper, you's lets they's grabs yous like that?" Harry shrugged slightly.

"Can't stops 'em wi'outs hurtin's 'em." Ara nodded her understanding of that constraint. "I'll explain everything soon, Mi. No point in telling it twice. Hell, Alex would say once is too much, but yous can'ts hear wi'out words." He walked back to the head table, leaving his two thoroughly confused friends behind as he curled up in the back corner, secure in the knowledge that Ara would keep the danger around him at bay while he slept. Ara sat in the corner with his head in her lap, softly stroking his hair. How she had missed her little Viper. Train had brought the boy home with him when he was about seven, glaring angrily at anyone who dared look at the slight boy. Compared to most newbies on the streets, he was very thin, but by his actions he hadn't been on the streets for more than a few days before Train found him. He had looked pitiful though, and it was clear that he hadn't been cared for since he was very small, if ever, even though he hadn't been living rough. I the moment she had realized that, Ara could have killed his guardians, whoever they were.

* * *

"Viper!" Harry was on his feet instantly at the high pitched shout, ignoring the order members and his school mates to focus on the little blond running across the room towards him. He scooped her up into his arms, spinning her around and around until she was shrieking with laughter.

"'Allos, little one. You's hungry?" She nodded eagerly and he carried her to Gryffindor table, setting her on his lap.

"Missded yous, Viper!" she said happily, grabbing a roll and stuffing half of it in her mouth at once. He smiled indulgently.

"Missded yous too, lil Lockpicker."

"Potter, can't you see that the child has more class than to be sitting with the Gryffindors?" drawled an arrogant voice from behind them, which set Locks to shrieking again.

"Can't help it if she decided to come greet me first, Moonshadow." Draco made a face, as he didn't like that particular version of his name at all, and Harry knew it. Locks twisted around in Harry's lap to pounce on Draco, who didn't look the least bit surprised, or unhappy, by this turn of events.

"Moonshine!" She hugged him around the neck, smacking a sloppy kiss onto his cheek. Harry stood, glancing around to see how many of the children had come through already.

"How are you, Locks?"

"Goods. You's not beens sees longtimes, 'Shine!" He smiled softly at her, startling everyone except her and Harry, who'd already known he had something of a soft spot for Locks.

"Couldn't get away, baby girl. Father's very strict with me." She nodded knowledgably. She didn't like fathers. Train's and Draco's father both hurt their sons, and they were the only fathers she knew of besides her own, who had thrown her out when she was two.

"Hungry still, 'Shines!" she exclaimed.

"You want to come back to my table and eat with me? Table with Viper'll get very full. Lots of people wanting food. You're better off with me." She tilted her head, then nodded agreeably, still clinging on to him. He carried her back to Slytherin table.

"Well, on the bizarreness scale, that ranked pretty damn high," Ron said finally. Hermione giggled, but nodded in agreement. Harry would have answered, but was suddenly attacked by over a dozen children, shouting 'Viper!' at the tops of their lungs. Eventually there were enough that they pulled him down, and they started wrestling. By the time he escaped them he was covered in bruises, but grinning happily. This was his family, and damn had he missed them.

"Ok, here's the deal. Yous c'n sit with me, or with 'Shines at table over there." He pointed at Draco, who was sitting with Locks in his lap, much to the amusement of his housemates. "_Not_ goes out on your own. Big groups, keep lookout. Lots of fighting soon." They broke out cheering. "Don't get hurt before or you won't be 'lowed." Solemn nods all around. "Run! Be free!" They scattered across the great hall, as most of the students wondered just why they were suddenly overrun by little kids. Ara sat down next to him, chatting amiably as they waited for Train to get back. "'Ny idea how much longer big brother'll be?" he asked softly. "Yous know ma range ain't that far. Yous is." She closed her eyes.

"He say he just have ta gets yous weapons, n talks ta Jettie." Harry nodded agreeably. "He's bringin' Maria, 'n' askin' Jettie ifs he wants come." Harry nodded.

"Not long then. We's could use Jets, 'n' Maria c'n holds her own wi' Orphain. Did he gets Taal's blade for himself?" Ara laughed.

"Not goes 'newhere wi'outs it." Harry nodded.

"Good. He's needs it round here." Harry ate silently for a few minutes. "Ara? I's gots a song stuck in ma head."

"Sings it."

"Can't. It's Dreamer's song. It's freaks them out."

"Fuck them."

"Can't. I's gets in trouble." Ara glanced at him, then burst out laughing.

"Big brother not does well here," she said through her amusement. "You knows how mad he makes Socs, fuckin' everythin' that catch his eye."

"Where is Socrates, anyway?"

"With Train. He don' trust Jettie 'ny further'n Slide could throws him." She pointed to the two-year-old running towards Locks.

"Slide's a telekinetic."

"Point?"

"Slides could probably throw Jets further than Dreamer could." She giggled.

"Don't tell big brother that." Harry laughed with her.

Several people gasped as two tall people, one silver-haired, one with black and white kitty ears, seemingly stepped out of the wall, followed by a girl with the same ears and a smaller gray-haired boy. The kitty boy tossed a large bundle to Harry, who jumped up and caught it without thought.

"That's ev'ythin' I's c'n thinks of, lil sistah." Ara nodded, slumping with the relief of not having to hold the circle open any more. Though her range and stamina were a lot better than they were when she was a child, it was still a long way, and she'd been holding it open for about an hour now. Harry stood, collecting Draco and Locks with a glance, and led them all to the headmaster's office, where the order and the headmaster was waiting. Ron and Hermione followed them at an uncertain distance. They met up with Snape at the gargoyle.

"He's changed the password, and neglected to pass the new one on," the potions master said dryly. Harry shrugged.

"Locks, c'n yous opens th' door, bébé?" She nodded, happy he had asked her.

"It's magically locked. A muggle child has no possibility of opening it." Ignoring him, Locks stepped forward, laying both hands on the statue and closing her eyes in concentration. After a moment, there was a loud 'click' and the entrance opened. Harry and Draco both smirked at the man before heading up the stairs, Ara, Train, and Maria pushing past him to keep the younger ones in sight. Ron and Hermione wisely let the potions master precede them, before he started hexing something.

"Ah, Harry, my boy, how did you get up here? I just realized that I neglected to pass the password on. I was about to send Fawkes around." Harry pointed to Locks, who was standing in the middle of the room staring all around in awe, much to the amusement of the order members.

"Locks is a medium telekinetic. She is quite adept at picking locks of all sorts." He hefted the package Train had tossed him casually in his hands, seemingly pleased by the feel of it. "If you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I have to get ready." He stepped back into a corner and started unwrapping the strip of cloth wrapped around it. He paused, frowning. "Train, someone's gotten in to it."

"Had ta makes sure 'twas your package. Lotsa peoples keeps stuffs in there." Harry nodded, reassured, and continued unwrapping it. As they were unwrapped, the stiff cloth strips went around his wrists, elbows, knees and ankles, reinforcing the possible weak points. They all watched in near silence as Harry pulled out and strapped over two dozen blades of various lengths onto his body, almost all of them were completely hidden by the time he was done.

"And why go through the effort to put on something you surely can't use?" Snape drawled. Draco winced. A knife buried itself in the wall next to his head.

"You were saying?" Harry pulled out his wand and lazily summoned it back, spinning it on his fingertip instead of re-sheathing it. "There was a reason I refused weapons training with you. It wasn't because we don't work well together, though that's certainly the truth, it was because I don't need it." Several people winced at the drop of blood that slid down his finger as the knife slipped, but he merely stuck his finger into his mouth, sucking lightly on it until it stopped bleeding.

"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione asked plaintively. "Who are they and where did all the kids come from?" Harry sighed.

"Yes, it's time to explain now. I ask you all to hold your questions until I finish, because it's going to be hard enough to piece this together as it is." He looked pleadingly at them, and was encouraged by the few nods he received. "Meet the people who raised me. Train Godcatt and Ara." Train and Ara stepped forwards momentarily, then sat on the floor at his feet, Train sprawled out with his head in Ara's lap. Harry shook his head and continued. "My aunt and uncle threw me out of the house when I was 7, after my first large piece of accidental magic convinced them they wouldn't be able to stomp the magic out of me. Train found me, and took me to Ara. Ara leads a band of feral children, takes care of them and teaches them enough to support themselves. That's why most of the children that came are under 10. The older ones can take care of themselves and do. Train adopted Ara as his little sister and gained a family from it. He's the oldest son of Tony Godcatt. Some of you might have heard of him if you keep up with the muggle business world at all. Very cutthroat dealer. Tried to raise his kids to be the same way. It hasn't turned out like he wanted it to. Train and Niart ran away and joined a street gang, and Maria's loyal only to her brothers. The younger ones mostly get ignored, so far as I know, and it doesn't matter anyway. Train and Niart taught us all to fight. My street name comes from my fighting style. Viper, because I'm small, fast, and deadly. Have been since I was eight. Apparently I learn fast, and when Train or Niart is teaching you something, you learn as fast as you can. The song, by the way," he said to Ron and Hermione, "is another thing Train taught me. He wrote it when he was at the battle school. It's rather true." Train grinned up at them. "We always knew the time would come when I had to fight. Stormcrow told Ara that I'd die without the gang when the fight came. The fight's coming now, and I do not intend to die, so I summoned Train and Ara to help me." He looked at Train. "Is Stormy coming to help?" Train shrugged.

"Who knows what Cupcake's going to do besides Cupcake?" Harry nodded, unsurprised.

"Sahara really likes you," Ara offered. Harry smiled at her.

"So, questions?"

"Where have you been living, Mr. Potter, if not with the Dursleys?"

"On the streets in Tulsa, Ok. USA."

"How did she adopt you when you look like you're older than her?"

"She's just the motherly type, I guess. And yeah, she's a year younger than I am. But she'd been on the streets since she was five, that's a full year before Train found me."

"How are muggle children going to help in this battle?" Harry grinned mysteriously.

"You'll see."

"How long are these children going to stay?"

"As long as you feed them."

"What's ferret got to do with this?" Ron asked suddenly, glaring at where Draco was sitting casually, Locks once again on his lap. He shrugged at Harry's questioning glance. Harry sighed.

"When we were about –10?- Draco's father apparently had a business trip to Tulsa, and took Draco with him but didn't keep a good eye on him. We found him stumbling, having fallen into someone's moonshine still and swallowing a great deal of it in his attempts to get out, and took him home. He's been back every now and then; Ara adopted him just like she did me. But ever since that incident, he's been Moonshine, or some variation thereof. Personally, I like Moonshadow, or just Shadow. Locks likes 'Shine, and that's what most of us use." Because he's so pale and bright, don't you know. Like a moon creature." Draco flipped him off. "No thank you, especially not when you're holding my little sister in your lap." He held up the finger again, twirling his other hand around it.

"Sit and spin, bitch."

"Again, not while you have my little sister on your lap." Locks stuck her thumb in her mouth and leaned back against Draco's chest, avidly watching the conversation. Draco whispered something into her ear, and she burst out laughing.

"Damn!" Ara and Train both exclaimed at the same time, leaping to their feet.

"What?"

"The kids are overrunning Socs, Alex, and Mir. New place, so they're not listening too well." Locks jumped up and the five of them seemingly stepped into thin air and disappeared. Leaving the witches and wizards they had been conversing with to explode into chaos.

"But you can't Apperate while in the Hogwarts wards." The plaintive wail of confusion floated above the general chaos.

* * *

The sharp cry of a hawk echoed through the great hall, silencing all within. Children slid down walls and out from under tables, moving towards Ara, who was standing with her hands on her hips, Train, Locks, and Maria behind her, Maria clinging to Train's hand. Alex and Socs ran up to her, with Mir following lazily behind. Jettie was leaning against the wall being absolutely no help at all, even though he commanded the respect of most of the gang simply for what he was, preferring to watch Alex and Socs try to control the children. Harry copied his pose behind Ara. He wasn't one of the ones in charge, but he wasn't going to remain behind for the order to question to death. Though he rather liked the headmaster, he had inherited Ara's distrust of authority, and wasn't comfortable around large groups of adults.

"We were alright until Jettie got here. Once they noticed him they went crazy," Socs complained. A few of the children had the grace to look ashamed, as Train and Ara glared at them.

"What is this?" Ara asked dangerously, knowing all the kids would hear her. "I bring you somewhere new, and you repay that with disrespect? All I asked of you is that you behave until it's time to fight, if you can't do that, you can go home now." Heads were shaking all around her, murmurs of 'no', and 'I's sorry', coming from the chastened children, who very much did not want to miss the fight. People from the headmaster's office, led by Draco who was the only one who had any idea what was going on, began rushing through the door just in time to see Ara standing over a bunch of subdued children, looking far to stern and motherly to be only 15. Train, Locks, and Harry looked amused, and Maria still hadn't calmed down; she didn't feel safe away from the manor, and kept one hand clenched in Train's, and the other locked around Orphain's hilt.

"Potter, you can't possibly think these –people- are going to be of help as anything other than targets? You are placing their lives in jeopardy for nothing."

"You can't allow children into battle, Harry, see reason. They are too young," Molly said somewhat condescendingly. Ara snapped her arm out to catch Maria who was advancing angrily at what she perceived as insults.

"No, you can't kill them Maria," She said softly. "They think they're trying to protect us." Maria gave a dangerous, seductive smile to the assembled magical folk, trailing her fingers along the edge of her blade.

"But Orphain's hungry," she pouted. Train chuckled.

"Orphain can wait another couple of hours. And they're allies Maria." She pouted at him but moved back to wrap her arm around his.

"Hey, Lockpicker, has yous checked out the ceilin' yet?" Harry asked casually. Locks frowned and looked up, gasping in astonishment at the sight. She looked at Harry wide eyed, and he nodded in encouragement. Grinning widely, she ran to the closest wall, climbing up it with no difficulty to go and examine the enchanted ceiling. Almost all adults present gaped at her effortless scaling of the blank wall. She ran her fingers along the ceiling, moving out into the middle of the room, creating a comical picture, then dropped down in front of Harry. Several people rushed to make sure she was ok, and she gave them a scornful look before turning to Harry.

"Is stone, Viper, but looks like sky." Harry nodded. "Yous do that wif hideout?" Harry laughed.

"Don't knows how, lil one." He turned to Ara. "Ara, is it almost check in time?" She nodded reluctantly, turning towards the wall once again. The portal had a blue edging to it this time, and Harry nodded in satisfaction at her raised eyebrow. "Very nice, sis."

People came though it in ones, twos, and threes, moving to talk urgently with Ara, Train, Socs, Alex, or Mir before joining the waiting children. The oldest of the newcomers looked about 21, and most were younger. A tall, striking woman strode through suddenly, and Harry, Train, and Ara brightened upon seeing her.

"Viper. The time is now. Ara, close the circle." Ara nodded and the blue circle faded from the wall. Harry turned to Train and Maria.

"Dreamer. Can you, Torture, and Demon split the school between you?" Train nodded, leading Maria towards the students assembled for dinner. "Ron, Mi, get those Train says can't fight to the Room. Everyone," he raised his voice. "Gather yourselves by year. First years by me, seventh at the back of the room." Train went through the group almost faster than they sorted themselves out. All of the first, second, and third years were passed over. About a third of fourth year, a fourth of fifth year, and half of sixth year were sent to the dias that raised the head table so the teachers could watch the students. Seventh year most were chosen, but when Train examined the upper year Slytherins, there were problems. The first three, he stabbed through the heart, turning away to the next person before their bodies had even started to fall. The next two were passed over, five chosen, four more killed.

"Take no prisoners," Train said in response to those who were yelling objections. "They would not have hesitated to kill me, I won't hesitate to kill them." He finished quickly, running through the Gryffindor seventh years almost absently. "Moonshine, take twenty." He picked out two other people, assigning them to pick out twenty people to command. Maria did likewise after a glance from her brother. Suddenly, Train's form wavered; when it cleared, there were two people standing there. Despite the likeness in all ways -the only physical differences being that the second's coloring was reversed from Train's and his eyes were red- they seemed complete opposites. Train appeared gentle, which is part of the reason his efficient killing had shocked so many, while the new person exuded an air of menace. He surveyed the assembled witches and wizards, sniffed, and walked to scoop Ara up in his arms, kissing her deeply. She reciprocated, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Princess, do I have to work with these people?" he whispered when they broke apart. Several people flinched at the ever-present violence suppressed in his voice, but Ara just smiled tenderly at him, smoothing her hand down his face.

"Yes. Wes has ta works together ta keeps Viper from gettin' killed, 'n' th' students'll needs more direction, since they's not used ta fighting. They's needs you, love." He sighed, but didn't seem to have expected any other answer.

"And if I'm good and play nice with these people, do I get a reward?" he asked slyly, and she laughed, nodding. He smiled hungrily and kissed her again, then strode back to where his brother and sister were waiting. Ara turned, gathering her children with a glance. Swiftly, she picked out fifteen of the older children, sending them to keep watch. Glancing from the corner of her eye, she saw Train lecturing the Hogwarts students. Draco had tuned him out and was collecting small bottles into bags that tied around the waist, handing them out to the gathered students, who seemed to recognize them, since he didn't explain what they were. Viper was deep in discussion with the headmaster, who looked impressed with their efficiency, if not the manner in which Train had dealt with the threats among them. Ara figured he would rather have imprisoned them, and Train might have, but prisoners had a habit of biting them in the butt at the worst possible moment, and Train wasn't going to risk the lives of his kids any more than necessary. She walked over to join them, and the headmaster fell silent.

"Prisoners has th' bad habit of bitin' us 'n' th' butt," she said as a conversation starter, since it was clear that the previous conversation wouldn't be continued while she was there. "Train's not gonna risks unknown dangers behinds us."

"The headmaster feels that he could have incapacitated them without killing them." Ara shrugged.

"'N' then what? C'ns yous swear they wouldn' be able ta gets out've what yous do?" At his hesitation, she shook her head. "If yous couldn' swears it, big brotha woulda killt them 'nyways. Th' biggest threat's th' one yous don't 'spects." He nodded thoughtfully, eyes sad. "Yous don't understands, but that's ok for you. For us, if wes forgets it, it's gets us killt." Viper turned suddenly, eyes searching.

"Jets!" he shouted suddenly. "The targets are in _black_ with _white_ masks. If I's finds yous 'tacked 'nyone e'se, I's comes after you!" Jettie nodded agreeably, feral light shining in his eyes.

"You think that'll stop him?" He shook his head.

"No, but it'll delay him for a while. He's fond of me, 'n' he wouldn't want to hurt me."

"He's fond of Train too, and he keeps trying to take a piece out of him. Lawful too, actually."

"Train's the exception to that, I'll admit."

"Who is he that you're so worried?"

"We're not worried, we're cautious. Jettie's a cannibal." With that, Ara walked off to go check on Train.

* * *

A kid was sitting against the wall, his knees drawn up against his chest, forehead resting on the tops of his knees. She paused on her way to Train, feeling the turmoil he was in. He raised his head as she knelt down beside him.

"Is yous ok?" she asked softly. He nodded. "Yous knows we has to do this." She started. He cut her off.

"I'm not upset about that. The people who are attacking today tortured my parents into insanity when I was a toddler. I'm just worried. A lot of the people here are my friends, and they're going to get hurt. Maybe killed. This isn't going to be at all pretty." Ara nodded solemnly.

"Niart's a good healer," she offered. "He a'ays patches us up after fights. Can'ts bring back the dead, but he's fixes anyt'ing else." He nodded, looking comforted.

"You should check on the ones Malfoy's working with instead of wasting your time on me," he said softly. "A lot of them will be fighting their parents." She nodded, but placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Talkin's with yous would nevah be wastin' ma time, unnerstand?" He nodded slowly, and she rose, moving in the indicated direction.

"How's goes, 'Shines?" she asked, smiling at the blond, who smiled back.

"As good as can be expected. You?"

"Awesome. Kids're gettin' anxious tho'. Hopes things starts soon, or theys be fightin' each othah."

"It will be soon, little sister," said a melodious voice from behind her. Ara turned with a smile.

"Hello Stormcrow. How goes it?" A sad smile.

"There will be much death. But all is not yet lost." Ara nodded, unsurprised. Of course there would be a lot of death. Just the triplets and herself would see to that. So long as Stormcrow didn't say it was helpless, she would hope.

"Do you even know why we're fighting?" one of the people surrounding her asked. Ara raised an eyebrow.

"Viper fights, we comes to his aid. A'ays, we helps one another. Th' reason matters not."

"They're a family," Draco said softly. "Like we're a family." The objector nodded faintly, appeased. Ara frowned at him thoughtfully. He really was beautiful, with his caramel skin and hair and amber eyes. If she didn't have Niart, she'd want him, at least for a night. And the others around them were just as striking, if none as beautiful as Moonshine and this boy. One was a girl with beautiful amethyst eyes, and long black hair braided in intricate patterns like Ara had seen some of the black girls around Tulsa wearing. Draco shook his head suddenly. "Sorry Ara. This is Blaise," the carmelito boy, "Pansy," the one with the braids, "and Vince and Greg," two large muscled boys, who nodded to her. "Guys, this is Ara. I might have said something about her."

"Locks," Ara called, vocally and mentally. "Comes here, lil one." Locks dropped off the ceiling onto Ara's shoulders; she barely even moved, she was so used to this. "Stays with 'Shines. Protects his family." Locks nodded solemnly, transferring from Ara's shoulders to press herself against Draco's side. Train snuck up behind Ara and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around. "Niart!" she cried out, flinging out her arms. Niart grabbed her hands, pulling her out of his brother's arms and into his own. She cuddled against his chest as he lowered his head for a kiss.

"I love you Princess," he drawled softly, and Blaise shivered at his voice.

"He sounds like You-Know-Who," he whispered to Draco, who frowned. He had known Niart practically all his life, so this had never occurred to him.

"Like who?" Ara asked. "'Fraids I don' know." Draco laughed.

"Th' person's tryin' kills Viper," he said, falling into street language as he spent more time around her. Ara blinked.

"Hows Nia soun's like him?"

"There's so much menace in his voice, like if you don't do what he says, he's going to kill you," Blaise said, nervous at having Niart's attention focused on him. "He just sounded similar for a moment." Ara nodded thoughtfully.

"Nia's voice always tricks people. And he's is very violently protective. But usually he's is a healer, nots a killer. Train's actually th' dangerous triplet. Maria follows hims orders, 'n' Niart only hurts to protect hims people." Blaise nodded slightly. Niart stepped forward, looking intently into Blaise's eyes, then snorted.

'Princess, yous knows killin's gonna hurts them bad. They's mind's not prepared for it. Shiner's group is best prepared, and they's be hurts by it.' Ara nodded, sighing sadly.

'I know love, but I can't insulate they's minds. Take too much energy.' A gentle hand touched her elbow, and she looked down at a boy with too old eyes looking sadly at her.

"I can protect their minds, Princess Arali," he murmured. She nodded, informing Train of what was going on so he wouldn't try to stop him. Train didn't trust strangers. Draco waved him off.

"I am not in need of protection, Psyche. I have fought and killed afore this." The boy nodded and moved on to Blaise, catching his face in between his hands and staring into his eyes until Blaise relaxed. Nodding slightly, he moved on, repeating the process with each of the Hogwarts students.

"Psyche?" Ara asked Draco. "Yous knows him, Shines?" Draco shook his head.

"No. It just felt right." She nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, I think you've named him, Shines. It does fit." She watched the child, his blond braid sweeping the floor, light glinting off of the brass rings strung through it. He was dressed all in brown leather, which he wore with the unconscious grace of one who always wore such things.

"Why does she call you Shine, Drake?" Blaise asked suddenly. Draco grinned slightly.

"Because she found me when I was 10, having just climbed out of someone's moonshine still, drunk. I wasn't paying attention and fell into it, and I swear I must have swallowed half of it trying to get out. I've been Moonshine ever since."

"QUEEN!" the shout interrupted them. "Theys comes! Blonds looks like Shines first!" Harry turned sad eyes to Draco as he passed on his way to talk to Train.

"Looks like your parents are here," he said. Draco nodded shortly.

"It matters no more than if Tony were here would matter to Train." Harry nodded back, moving to talk to Train.

"Tony being here would effect Train," Ara said softly. "You know that, Shiner." He shrugged.

"Yes, but would he let it stop him?" Ara tilted her head, conceding his point.

"Who's Tony?"

"Train's father."

**_H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H_**

Train, Maria, Niart, Tony and JeT'aime (Jettie) are Lyr's OC's, Ara, Locks, Sahara (Stormcrow, Cupcake), Anaki (Psyche), Mir and the rest of the kids belong to me, and Arya belongs to Rayne.


End file.
